Cathedral High School receives $2 million gift in honor of its centennial anniversary
(Indianapolis, Indiana) Marshall Dixon, Emeritus Professor of Physics & Astronomy at Butler University, has given a $2 million gift to Cathedral High School in honor of its upcoming 100th birthday.
An electrical engineer, physicist, and mathematician, Dixon began teaching at Butler in 1957, putting in a 53-year career there. While physics is his specialty, he also taught a myriad of other math classes, and even constitutional law and the history of law. In fact, Cathedral teacher Adam Hibshman and Professor Dixon wrote a physics book that has recently been published.
While Dixon is not a Cathedral alumnus, he recognizes that the school is creating graduates who will profoundly impact the communities in which they live.
“Cathedral students are amazing,” says Dixon. “I doubt there are many students in Indianapolis who can do this level of work, but more than 120 Cathedral students are able to handle this level of work.” Dixon also speaks highly of Hibshman. “Cathedral students are lucky to have Adam as a teacher. He has a phenomenal mind.”
Several hundred students at Cathedral helped to develop the related course, and the textbook will be utilized for courses at the school for years to come.
For 100 years, Cathedral has passed on the values and philosophy of educating the whole child, heart, mind, and spirit in a remarkable atmosphere of inclusion and diversity.
Now, on the cusp of the school’s centennial anniversary, Cathedral has set her sights on what it means to be a great school in the 21st century. Over the next ten years, Cathedral plans to invest in multiple capital projects, including construction of an Innovation Center, a new, one-of-a-kind premier facility that will expand the school’s commitment to STEM education. Currently in the early planning phase, the Innovation Center will include best-in-class science, engineering, robotics, design, and programming facilities that will set Cathedral apart from any other school in the city. Additionally, it will serve as the hub of the school and be intentionally designed to promote interdisciplinary scholarship and lifelong connections.
Dixon’s $2 million gift is one of the largest single donations ever made to Cathedral High School. “We are grateful and humbled by Professor Dixon’s generosity in making this gift, and appreciative of his vision of Cathedral as the premiere high school for educating Indianapolis’ future scientists and engineers,” said Rob Bridges, president of Cathedral High School. “As an engineer, physicist, and mathematician himself, Marshall understands the critical importance of generation learning practices focused on problem solving and real-world application infused with technology. We are thrilled to have his support in building this state-of-the-art facility.”
About Cathedral High School
Cathedral, a premier Catholic high school in the Holy Cross tradition, transforms a diverse group of students spiritually, intellectually, socially, emotionally, and physically to have the competence to see and the courage to act. Cathedral has 1,180 students in grades 9-12. Approximately 99% of our students graduate and go on to higher education. The class of 2016 earned $48 million in scholarships and were accepted into some of the best colleges and universities in the country. Cathedral is recognized for its excellence in academics, the arts, and athletics.